Improvement in pearl shells for pencil-cases



T-. VAN HOUTEN. Pearl Shells for Pencil-Gases.

Patented March 17. 1874.

PATENT Crrro JAMEs T. VAN EoUTEN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN PEARL SHELLS FOR PENCIL-CASES.

Specifi cation forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,783, dated March 17, 1874; application filed January 22, 1874. 7

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES T. VAN HoUTEN, of the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Pearl Shells for Pencil-Cases, of which the followin g is a specification:

Pearl shells for pencil-cases have been made of a solid piece of pearl bored out and turned; but such pearl has a dark side. Cases have also been made of slabs of pearl cemented to a polygonal tube and turned off upon the outer surface.

My invention relates to an improvement in the mode of manufacturing the shell, so that it is made up of pieces in the form of a cylinder to fit upon the cylindrical metal tube of the pencil'case.

I11 the drawing, Figure l is a longitudinal section of the pearl shell in place upon a pencil-case. Fig. 2 is an end view of such shell, and Fig. 3,1 epresents the sections as placed together previous to boring and turning.

These are all shown in enlarged size.

The slabs of pearl are sawed or cut up into strips to with converging sides, so that said strips will set together to form a hexagonal or other prismatic tube, and the joints may be united by suitable cement, and the parts held together in a proper clamp while the interior is bored out to form a hole of the proper diameter. The tube is then placed upon a mandrel that fits the hole, and the tube is turned off at the ends to receive the clamping-bands Z), of .metal or other suitable material. The holding-clamp is now to be removed, and the exterior of the pearl tube turned off and polished. The barrel or shell is now complete and ready for use, and it is very strong and handsome.

The pearl shell is slipped over the metallic tube of the pencil-case, and retained at the ends by the ornamental caps or collars i that cover the bands 7) partially or entirely.

I claim as my invention- A cylindrical ornamental case made of the several pieces of pearl joined longitudinally, and held together by the end bands I) 1), substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 17th day of January, A. D. 1874.

J. T. VAN HOUTEN.

Witnesses:

O. S. WALKER, GEo. T. PINCKNEY. 

